Strut My Stuff…..

Christmas and New Year came and went, friends stayed over, confrontations, agruments, hissy fits and tantrums, nothing to do with us by the way…..and so they left a few days early and all was quiet, just me and Mr Snobs and some time to ourselves. Food, plenty, too much actually, enough to feed the neighbourhood. Don’t know quite how I came about making 15 dishes to feed 9. Next year, I swear I’m eating out.

Despite the events of the festive season, I did get a lot of knitting done . What happened? Seven, yes seven projects, completed, two were gifted but they count , don’t they?

I buried my head into my knitting since my last post, it’s been a marathon of knitting, non stop, one after another. It felt like a race, I was competing with someone, but who? Myself.  No sooner I cast off one projects it’s on with another. I blame the weather, dull, miserable, wintery, freezing temperatures. I feel miserable this time of year, dark mornings and gloomy days, so it was head down into what I love most. I guess I wanted to take my mind off things, you know.

Ok…lets get down to some business then, enough of being a miserable old fart. I’m going to strut my stuff….you all ready now, sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin.

First……

Burberry Inspired Cowl Knitted with less than 2 skeins of Rowan Cocoon.  6mm needle.

Very warm, very stylish and at a fraction of the price of the original Burberry Cowl. Requires a knowledge of kitchener stitch, something I’d forgotton how to do, you either love it or hate it.

I took it for it’s catwalk debut just before Christmas and it was literally whipped of my neck. My girlfriends wanted to try it on, it was passed around, it came off my neck several times, did a walkabout somewhere, and I wasn’t happy. Not because my lovely cowl disappeared, I did get it back eventually but because it was on my neck, then off my neck, my bloody hair became static!! YES STATIC! It had a mind of its own and it was everywhere! I could’t control it. So that now became the focal point amongst my girlfriends….bitches!

Anyway, I made another two of these for my girlfriends both using Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky, one purple and one black 5mm needles. Each knitted up in just over 5 hours, a quickie project.

By this time, kitchener stitch became a doddle. it got neater and less visible. I think it’s payback time with their hair 🙂

Next up…is another Cabled Cowl. This one’s for me, me, me, me.

Not quite so please with this little number. Rowan Kid Classic 3.3 skeins 5.5mm needle.

Mods:
Cast on 168st (42st repeat) The extra 4 stitches at the checkered pattern section.
13 rows of rib instead of 9 rows, top and bottom.
Blocked measurements: 16” height 41” circumference.

I’m not convinced I love this as much as I do with the first one. Wrong choice of yarn, don’t get me wrong, the yarn is lovely to knit with but maybe not for this project. Maybe the halo effect is not suited, maybe the weight of yarn, maybe the colour. Maybe I need to knit another using Rowan Pure Aran, maybe……..

Eternity Scarf a cute little number, very in season, they are everywhere.

If you haven’t added something like this to your wardrobe, then take my advice, do so. Eternity style scarves are HOT!

Madelinetosh Worsted Oxblood 5.5mm needle. Only did  14 rows instead of 20 for the stockinette stitch. I love how it curls. I’ve been wearing this doubled up but can be worn in a loop hanging down, ribbed side up or curled side up, whichever takes your fancy!

And Finally…..16 Sixteen Cable Hat or Fez Head as I call it.

Very similar to my Cabled Beret with less slouch. Knitted size 2 with no slouch. Love this hat, love the yarn too. The pattern even has tips for avoiding the holes that you get when you knit cables.

Debbie Bliss Fez  1.8 skeins 4 mm & 5.mm needle (a blend of Merino and Camel) and oh so lovely. I’m very impressed with this yarn. No knots in either balls and I had used this yarn to cast on and rip back a project about 5 times, and still, it didn’t felt or fuzz up. Stitch and cable definitions are really impressive too. Another quickie project to add to your list.

Well…lovely readers, I hope you have all enjoyed this catwalk show of all my latest knits and hope you have gathered some inspiration from them too and thank you for taking your time in reading, think it’s time for a cuppa and to get those needles out again 🙂 xx